ENERGY

Co-finanziatoDal Programma LLP dell’Unione Europea

L’autore è il solo responsabile di questa comunicazione. L’Unione europea declina ogni responsabilità sull’uso che potrà essere fatto delle informazioni in essa contenute.

WHAT IS ENERGY?

Energy is the capacity of a physical system to perform

work

What kinds of energy ARE THERE in NATURE?

• Renewable Energy• It is any energy resource

that is naturally occuring and is replenished and regenerated over a short time scale.

• It is derived directly from the sun or from other natural movements and mechanisms of the environment.

• It is potentially infinite.

Non-Renewable Energy • It is any energy resource

that is not replaced in a reasonable amount of time or is replaced only very slowly by natural processes.

• It is considered "used up", so not available to us again.

• It is though finite

Renewable Energy

• Solar• Wind• Hydroelectric• Tidal• Wave• HEP (Hydroelectric power)• Biofuels energy

Non-Renewable Energy: FOSSIL FUELS

• Coal• Natural Gas• Oil

Nuclear

NON RENEWABLE ENERGY:FOSSIL FUELS

Fossil fuels are continually produced by the decay of plant and animal matter, but the rate of their production is extremely slow, very much slower than the

rate at which we use them.

• ADVANTAGES• Energy production

using coal can be increased or decrease according to demand.

• The technology to burn coal to generate electricity already exists

• DISADVANTAGES• Coal is finite so will eventually

run out.

• Many existing reserves are becoming harder to extract or are environmentally sensitive areas.

• Coal releases large amounts of greenhouses gases when burnt

• Mining deep underground coal is dangerous

• Coal is very expensive to transport around the world

COAL

• ADVANTAGES• Energy production using

oil can be increased or decrease according to demand.

• The technology to burn coal to generate electricity already exists.

• Technology is improving to extract deeper. reserves as well oil in tar sands (Canada)

• DISADVANTAGES• Oil is finite so will eventually

run • A lot of oil is located in politically

unstable countries or environmentally sensitive areas (Iraq, Libya).

• Oil can cause widespread pollution when spilt

• Oil releases large amounts of greenhouses gases when burnt

• Oil is vulnerable to large scale changes in its price

• The production of oil refineries is very expensive.

OIL

• ADVANTAGES• Energy production using

gas can be increased or decrease according to demand.

• The technology to burn gas to generate electricity already exists.

• Burning gas releases less greenhouses gases than coal and oil.

• It is now possible to compress gas and transport it more easily.

• DISADVANTAGES• Gas is finite so will

eventually run • A lot of oil is located in

politically unstable countries or environmentally sensitive areas (Russia).

• Oil is vulnerable to leaks and explosions.

NATURAL GAS

SOLAR ENERGY

•It is the energy that uses the power of the sun to heat water or generate electricity.

•It can be captured, converted and distributed by passive or active means for

a variety of applications.

• ACTIVE SYSTEMS

• The sun energy is collected with panels through which air or water is circulated to transfer heat to a storage or utilization device

• PASSIVE SYSTEMS

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE, STORE, CONVERT AND DISTRIBUTE SOLAR

ENERGY?

Passive solar heating is a simple method by utilizing specific building materials and appropriate building siting (e.g. The South)

Advantages and disadvantages of solar energy

• ADVANTAGES It is a clean form of

energy. It is an infinite

resource. Panels can be used

locally on the top of houses.

It can be used to heat water and generate electricity.

• DISADVANTAGES• Solar panels are very

expensive.• The sun does not shine

all the time.• Not every country gets

adequate levels of sun.• Solar panels can't be

used during the night.• Solar panels can spoil the

beauty of the landscape.

USE

• SOLAR ENERGY IS HEAVILY UTILIZED

• Hot water and heating.• Gives energy to devices

distant from electrical nets.

• Big devices connected with the net.